nuffnang

Monday, August 20, 2012

Nash will see Karpal in court over anti-hudud remark

Kelantan PAS reportedly withdrew its support for
Nasharudin to contest in the upcoming general election.

The discontent in PAS against Nasharudin grew this
week following his remarks calling for the party to leave the PR opposition
pact if the DAP continues to oppose hudud.

Hadi had written an article to explain how the
Islamist party could co-operate with the secular DAP despite their different
political ideologies as they shared a common aim.

Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa defended
calling Karpal Singh “anti-Islam”, saying he is ready to meet the DAP chairman
in court to resolve their dispute in a case that is seen to test the ties
between the two Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies ahead of crucial elections due soon.

Karpal, a veteran lawyer, had said that he will sue
the former PAS deputy president for defamation over the latter’s “highly
irresponsible and mischievous” remarks, stressing that he has “never spoken
against Islam” and respects Islam “as the official religion of the country”.

“I maintain my stand that Karpal Singh is anti-Islam
and am ready to meet him in court,” Nasharudin said.

“I was taught in PAS that Islamic teachings cover
every aspects of life. In it is faith, laws and morals.

“Rejecting part of Islam means rejecting Islam,” the
Bachok MP said, referring to Karpal’s opposition to the implementation of
hudud, the Islamic penal code.

Karpal has repeatedly said that the Islamic penal law
cannot be enforced in the country as “hudud can only be applied in an Islamic
state” while Malaysia remained a secular country.

The DAP veteran said he hoped Nasharudin would
“understand the difference between Islam (as a religion) and Islamic state”.

“Our constitution provides for a secular state, and in
Malaysia it is secular law which applies. You must have an Islamic state before
we can have hudud law,” Karpal had said.

“I’m not saying PAS is wrong, but we cannot apply
hudud because ours is a secular state. Our law doesn’t allow it,” he added.

Karpal is seen as a lightning rod for Umno attacks
because of his strong opposition to hudud.

Last Thursday, Nasharudin said that “Karpal Singh is
not only against hudud but also against Islam”, adding that as a lawyer, Karpal
should know that the implementation of the Islamic penal code required high
standards of proof.